Don't Let Go
by EternityEchoes
Summary: L brings a young, abused Mello to Wammy's house where he finds friendship in Matt, a young boy who comforts him and helps him through. Oneshot. Please read/review!


**Don't Let Go**

**Hey, wonderful readers! So this is another random idea I came up with at the horrible, insane torturous place most people call school. Another one completely written by me. ^_^ But yeah, I thought it was cute, and I'd love to know what you all think! Your reviews mean so much! *hugs***

**And so sorry for all the spelling mistakes earlier--my computer has no spell check. But I went back through it and I think I got them all. And thanks to Misa Hal Gibson for telling me when Matt's birthday was : ) **

L led a small, bolnde boy into the orphanage known as Wammy's, slowing his usual speed down to nearly half in order for the child to keep up. "Are you alright?" L asked in a bored tone, glancing back to make sure he was still there. The boy looked up to catch his gaze, nodding his head once before looking back down at the ground, muddy from the most recent rainstorm.

_They couldnt've picked a more depressing place for a school, _L speculated, walking through thte wrought-irron gates. The detective chanced another look at the child, noticing how horrible he looked. There was blood running down the side of his face from a nasty cut on his forehead, a dusky briuse streching over one prominent cheekbone, and the left side of his face, and, L guessed, the entire left side of his body, was covered in painful-looking scars. L felt a pang of sadness for the boy, imagining what he had been through. Probably abusive parents, just as he himself had had.

"Come on," L said in a gentler tone than he had previously been using. "There's no sense in keeping Mr. Wammy and your new roomate waiting, now, is there?"

The boy shook his head with a terrified expression on his face. A large wooden door creaked open, and the man and the boy walked in. The first thing Mello noticed was a larte, elaborate stained glass window overlooking the muddy yard he and L had just come through. He immediatly ran over and pressid his small hands to it, loking out. He jumped when a wrinkled hand was put on his shoulder, flinching away from the physical contact.

The old man who the hand belonged to had a kindly face, but Mello still didn't trust him. Mello didn't trust any adults.

"Sit down, please," the man who L had indicated to be Mr. Wammy said, waving at a large blue armchair. The boy timidly walked around him, pulling him up into the chair.

"Now, I hear you already go by an alias?" the man asked gently, opening a small notepad. Mello had a confused look on his face. "A nickname?" Mr. Wammy modified. The child nodded. "Mello?" the man asked, consulting his notepad. "Is that correct?" he asked, and Mello nodded again.

"Well, it'd be better for you if you just went by that from now on, telling no one your real name."

The boy nodded, eyeing a chocolate bar longingly. My. Wammy smiled, unwrapping the candy and handing it to him, eyes twinkling in delight as he watched Mello slowly taste it, his face lighting up. "Have you ever had chocolate before, Mello?" he asked gently. The child shook his head as he marvled at the luscious, creamy taste of the food, not paying any attention to Mr. Wammy. When he had finished it, he looked up at the old man self-conciously through his long, blonde bangs.

"Yes, well," Mr. Wammy started again, rifling through a drawer and coming out with a pack of papers. "I suppose you'll want to meet your new roommate and get settled in, am I right?"

Mello nodded, almost dozing off in his chair from the many sleepless nights he'd been through recently. It had been...difficult, to say the least--to try to find a safe place to sleep on the streets. Mello had resorted to dumpsters lately, finding that the smell of them kept most people away, which was what he wanted.

He stood up quietly, following Mr. Wammy up to the second floor, where the old man unlocked another wooden door, revealing a young boy with floppy red hair and goggles around his neck. He was playing a Gameboy by the looks of it, and an unlit cigarette was stuck between his lips. Mr. Wammy calmly walked over and pulled away the cigarette, smashing it beneath his foot. "Matt, this is Mello." he told the boy, pulling Mello out from behind him and plopping him on the mattress beside Matt. "Here. Make him feel welcome." Roger said as he walked out the door.

Matt looked up at the blonde boy, setting down his game. Mello turned his eyes away shyly, hiding the scars on his young face. Matt placed his hand gently on Mello's chin, turning Mello so that he was facing him. "No, it's alright," he murmured soothingly as Mello's eyes widened with terror and he tried to pull away. "It's alright." Matt repeated, tracing the delicate scars on Mello's face. "What happened to you?"

This caused a pained look to come into Mello's eyes, and when he jerked away this time, Matt didn't try to stop him. "Never mind, then," the gamer whispered quietly. "Let's start over--my name's Matt."

Mello just looked at him, so Matt continued. "I'm going to turn ten in Feburary. I like...I like video games. And televisions. And computers." He hesitated, waiting for Mello to say something. When he didn't, Matt sighed. "And I'd like to be your friend. But I'll leave you alone for now, if you want." he said kindly. Mello looked up briefly, nodding his head once. "Alright, then." Matt whispered, picking up his things and moving to the other twin mattress laying on the floor.

x-x-x

Matt woke up to quiet sobs coming from the bed across the room. When it continued after a few minutes, barely audible, he got up and quietly pushed his mattress next to Mello's, timidly reaching out and placing his hand on Mello's shoulder. The blonde flinched again, slowly turning his head to look at Matt with huge blue eyes. Tears were slowly leaking out of the corners of those eyes, etching tracks down his dirty cheeks. Matt felt a wave of sadness rush through him--this boy's pain affected him, too. Matt hated to see anyone hurt.

Mello started to turn away, but Matt caught him in a hug and wrapped his arms tight around the boy. At first, Mello struggled to get out, before finally submitting and letting Matt hold him. When Mello's sobs quieted, his body no longer shaking, Matt carefully got up and dampened a washcloth with warm water. He went back to Mello, who was still sitting exactly the way Matt had left him, and gently washed the dirt and dried mud off of Mello's face, taking extra care around the scars.

When he was, he could better see the dark, livid bruises and scrapes that marred the pale, flawless features. Matt held back tears as he surveyed the full extent of the damage, brushing the tangled golden hair out of his friend's face before going to find a comb and slowly, tenderly working the knots out of it. He finished untangling it and was about to go back to bed when Mello desperately grabbed for his hand.

A smile spread across the gamer's face as he lay back down, both of the small boys fitting on the little twin mattress. Matt stared into the pain-filled turquoise eyes, and Mello stared back into his own emerald ones. "Is there...is there anything else I can do for you?" Matt asked quietly, his fingers still entwined with Mello's. And, for the first time in months, Mello spoke.

"Don't let go," Mello begged. "don't let go."

"Never." Matt whispered back.

**Thank you all for reading, and please don't forget to review!**

**-EternityEchoes**


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